Tag Archives: President Trump

Senate GOP Leader John Thune Better Get Smart Fast

John Cornyn had to do one, simple thing to secure renomination for his U.S. Senate seat: Publicly pledge to vote for the SAVE Act. Ken Paxton, who just butt-kicked Cornyn, gave him the opportunity. He said that he’d leave the Senate race if Cornyn did so. Cornyn didn’t do so. He couldn’t do so, even if he wanted to. He owed John Thune and the GOP establishment in the neighborhood of $100 million in campaign monies. The old saying holds: He who pays the piper calls the tunes.

Now, understand Ken Paxton knew this. His offer wasn’t much of a gamble. What it did was set up a beautiful political moment. Paxton declaration was intended to be the coup de grace for Cornyn’s campaign, and it was.

Cornyn’s loss was a face plant for John Thune, the establishment Senate Republican leader. He’s Mitch McConnell’s old protégée. First, Bill Cassidy crashes and burns, and now Cornyn. Crashes and burns, mind you, not gets edged out. Both incumbents are smoldering wreckage.

Thune and his DC circle made a predictably stupid calculation. They decided that Donald Trump was a lame duck, so his grip on MAGA voters was waning. They’d stay home. Surely, the country clubbers would prevail.

Trump’s endorsements of Louisiana conservative Julia Letlow and Paxton wouldn’t tip the balances, Thune reckoned. In any event, dumping truckfuls of money on those contests would push two very lame establishment inbreds across finish lines.

Seems reports of Trump’s political death were greatly exaggerated. MAGA not only remains loyal to the president, but they’re voting. Earlier, seven-term Rep. Thomas Massie was sent packing. Downing Cassidy and Cornyn was a clear message to Thune. “Not only do Cassidy and Cornyn stink, but you stink,” Louisiana and Texas MAGA declared.

Resentment toward Thune and establishment Republicans has been building among Trump loyalists (read: the GOP’s base). Thune stubbornly refuses to bring the SAVE Act to the Senate floor. Check that. He was glad to bring it to the floor in a way that was sure to fail. The Act is one of those rare measures that’s popular across the political spectrum.

Passing it – or at the very least, fighting to pass it – would accrue to GOP candidates benefit. What’s not to like? Let’s see a show of hands. Who supports cheating in elections? No brainer, but not for Thune, who says he doesn’t have the votes in his caucus to pass the proposal. Democrats will filibuster. Democrats would hijack the debate during a filibuster or some such. Excuse after excuse.

Then there is Trump’s desire to make recess appointments for his judicial nominees, who Democrats are stalling in the Senate. Thune’s determination to block recess appointments to preserve Senate tradition is costing conservatives’ wins on the federal bench.

If public polling is to be believed, Thune’s popularity in his home state, South Dakota, has cratered. That speaks volumes. As Senate majority leader, Thune funnels many millions of dollars into South Dakota. Farmers and energy producers (both major industries) benefit. But voters are turning off. Why? Because the GOP is now the Party of Trump. MAGA is dominant. Stalling Trump’s agenda doesn’t win votes.

So, Thune has a choice. Get in step with Trump and start pushing his agenda, or risk adverse political consequences. Thune should be ousted from his leadership position by fellow GOP senators if he fails Trump. If he’s not, South Dakota’s MAGA voters may do the job in 2028.

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In Minnesota, Are Democrats Flirting with Insurrection?

By J Robert Smith

  • Jan. 16, 2026
  • 3-min read

Minnesota governor Tim Walz made a speech the other night claiming that ICE was brutalizing Minnesotans and occupying Minneapolis. He said he wants both to end. Democrats are all about narratives. In other words, concocting self-serving versions of events for highly personal or partisan reasons.

Walz has plenty to worry about. Not only is the massive Somali fraud that’s resulted in billions of federal taxpayer money stolen costing him his reelection bid, but the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Walz and other Minnesota Democrat officials to determine if they’re culpable in any way.

Walz is trying to distract from his troubles. Moreover, immigrant populations – illegal or legal – have become the lifeblood of the Democrat Party. Though Minnesota is a Democrat state, it’s lighter blue. Republicans control the state house. A capable GOP candidate for statewide office can usually count on a vote tally in the high 40-percent range. That makes Republicans competitive. Democrats need the Somali voting bloc to help keep their grip on statewide offices. Walz is protecting an important bloc in his party’s voting base. He’s happy to overlook crime among Somalis.

Then there’s Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, who famously told ICE to get the f**k out of Minneapolis. Understand that ICE isn’t causing any problems in Frey’s city. They’re rooting out and arresting Somali criminals, among others.

In Florida, for example, ICE is working closely with state and local law enforcement to quietly and successfully roundup hardcore criminals among illegals – and, yes, arrest and deport those who are in the U.S. illegally. Florida governor Ron DeSantis is seeing to it.

Per a Grok (X platform) search and analysis:

ICE’s Operation Metro Surge, launched in late 2025 in Minneapolis, has resulted in over 2,000 arrests nationwide, with a focus on the Twin Cities area due to its sanctuary policies. Among those arrested are individuals from various countries, including Somalia, prioritized for criminal convictions or outstanding deportation orders. DHS and ICE have publicly highlighted the “worst of the worst” cases, emphasizing arrests of those convicted of serious crimes like homicide, sexual assault, child abuse, drug trafficking, and fraud. Of the 212 individuals classified as the most dangerous in Minnesota operations, 20 are from Somalia (about 10%), behind Mexico (91) and Honduras (22). Nationwide, 117 people with Somali citizenship were arrested in the initial phase, with 28 in Minnesota.

Walz, Frey, and Minnesota attorney general Keith Ellison have been careful about not calling for outright resistance to federal law enforcement. That would be insurrection. Though they couch their words, their actions indicate attempts at public incitement. They’ve withheld not only state and local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, but have allowed rabble to run Minneapolis’ streets – as in individuals who are committing acts of violence toward federal law enforcement and property destruction. We’re not talking about peaceful, lawful protests, which are a 1st Amendment right.

President Trump is walking a tightrope. Lately, polling suggests that independent voters and moderates are backing off supporting his immigration enforcement efforts. Republicans aren’t, however. The midterm elections are critically important. Republicans holding Congress matters to the final two years of Trump’s term. If enough independents are motivated to vote against Republican House and Senate candidates this autumn, that makes Trump a 24-month lame duck.

Yet, upholding the law matters greatly. Somalis shouldn’t be given passes, having committed fraud on an historic scale. Drug dealers, gangbangers, rapists, child sex traffickers, fraudsters, and thieves, among others, need to be brought to justice. Those here illegally need to be deported.

Perhaps Trump’s solution is to pursue justice and work like hell to get Republicans to the polls this autumn? Perhaps, leadership, resolve, and fighting for a safer America and justice wins votes?

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Pam Bondi Blew It

By J Robert Smith

  • July 11, 2025
  • 2-min read

As I write this, Pam Bondi is coming under increasing fire for her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Reports are that FBI director Kash Patel and his deputy director, Dan Bongino, are “furious” at Bondi for her ineptness in the matter. The report comes via Revolver from Laura Loomer.

The extent of President Trump’s approval of Bondi’s efforts to deep-six the Epstein affair is unknown. Revolver did report that Bill O’Reilly says that Trump has wanted to spare those who may appear on an Epstein list simply because of contact with him. In other words, they committed no crimes but could be the victims of guilt by association.

What matters is that the grassroots are livid. The White House and DOJ are trying to bury what most Americans know is one of the most sordid scandals in U.S. history. Epstein and his handmaiden Ghislaine Maxwell trafficked in underage females for the pleasure of prominent and powerful men – and, who knows, maybe women. They may have done so to blackmail these men. Talk has been that Epstein may have been an asset for U.S. intelligence services, most likely the CIA. There’s some talk that he may have been acting on behalf of Israeli intelligence or acting in coordination with the CIA and the Israelis.

Of course, all that is speculation. At this point, Trump needs to decide that the Epstein matter cannot be stonewalled, unless he wants the firestorm to grow. Trump risks alienating segments of his base voters if they believe the truth is being concealed for political or other purposes.

The likely outcome should be that Pam Bondi resigns to save face. If she doesn’t resign, then the president needs to fire her and commit to a quick disclosure of everything the DOJ and other federal agencies possess on a truly evil man, Jeffrey Epstein.

Then make Kash Pastel attorney general and Dan Bongino FBI director.

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Will House RINOs Bail on the One, Big, Beautiful Bill?

By J Robert Smith

  • July 2, 2925
  • 2-min read

Reports Breitbart, July 1:

“Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL) said Tuesday on MSNBC’s “The Briefing” that President Donald Trump’s “big, beautiful” domestic policy package passed by the Senate has at least 20 Republican Representatives who are currently no votes.”

Never put treachery or cowardice past RINOs. But bailing on Trump’s signature legislation would cost so-called moderate Republicans dearly. The president has a lot of tools in his toolbox to deal with recalcitrant House Republicans. There are dozens of favors that the White House could withhold from representatives who are up for election next year. Speaker Mike Johnson, likewise, could withhold monies and favors, including reelection support.

The leverage that the RINOs enjoy, however, is that the GOP has a razor-thin majority in the House. The Republican majority couldn’t function without the support of moderates. It’s something of a standoff, but an angry Donald Trump might not care. If moderates fail to support the continuing resolution, Trump is capable of going scorched earth.

What will happen is that Speaker Johnson and his team will make some accommodations to his members who have issues with the Senate version of the CR. The amended version will go to a conference committee (that’s a House-Senate confab) that will negotiate further compromises. The conference bill will then be voted on by the House and Senate.

Frost admitted that Republicans – moderates and fiscal conservatives like Chip Roy – are more than likely to cave. Said Frost:

“Now we’ve got to be honest all the time, the moderates on the Republican side always fold. They put up a little fight. So that way, they have some footage that they can put behind their ads during election time, and then they fold right away. The far right kind of Freedom Caucus folks, most of the time, they fold. Sometimes they stick to it. So we’ll see. Right now, we’re having conversations with a lot of them behind the scenes. But you, one of the most important conversations, the most impactful ones, are actually constituents and the people reaching out. That’s why the big strategy right now is delay, delay, delay. Every minute we keep this bill from passing, it becomes even more unpopular.”

There you have it. Delay is the Democrats’ big weapon. Mike Johnson and John Thune need to move heaven and earth to get balky Republicans onboard and pass the One, Big, Beautiful Bill no later than next week, latest. Twist arms, trade favors – whatever. Get it done.

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Is the Senate GOP is about to Ruin Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill?

By J Robert Smith

  • June 10, 2025
  • 2-min read

President Donald Trump wants to give middle-class and working Americans tax breaks. He pledged to do so during last year’s presidential contest. Those promises proved popular and helped elect him. Now, some Senate Republicans are balking. If they wind up gutting some of Trump’s most popular tax-cut initiatives from the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill,” they risk losing the U.S. House in next year’s midterm elections. If the House flips to the Democrats, it’s game over. The final two years of the Trump presidency will end up like the last two years of his first presidency: marked by investigations, impeachment inquiries, and gridlock. The stakes are enormously high.

Politico is reporting (June 10) that Sen. Ron Johnson (WI) is leaning against “no taxes on tips,” “no taxes on overtime” and tax relief for seniors” – the latter refers to permitting seniors to deduct up to $4,000 annually in taxes on their Social Security pensions. Why Social Security pensions are taxed in the first place is the real question. Working Americans are forced by law to contribute to Social Security. When they retire, Uncle Sam then taxes their pensions. How is that fair?

North Carolina’s Thom Tillis is raising objections, too. Tillis voted to impeach Trump back in 2020. He’s clearly no friend of the president’s. Tillis is an establishment Republican. Does he have any feel for the struggles of working North Carolinians? Tar Heel State conservatives are likely to challenge him for renomination in 2026.

Making legislation is a messy affair. Compromises are standard. Making minor adjustments to accommodate senators are expected. But any changes that break President Trump’s promises to help tens of millions of hardworking – often struggling – Americans should be a nonstarter.

Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the U.S. House. Passing the One, Big, Beautiful Bill largely intact is critical to the GOP holding their House majority next year. Senate Republicans should remember that as they mark up Trump’s signature piece of legislation.

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Trump’s Mini Slump is ending

By J Robert Smith

  • May 21, 2025
  • 4-min read

Nick R. Hamilton at Slay reports that Trump’s poll numbers are starting to trend up. He draws from Nate Silver’s polling data. Silver has seen Trump’s approval rise four points in the last month, give or take. But here’s the revelation: Expect Trump’s numbers to continue to rise, albeit modestly for a while.

Why? The economy is doing better. Employment is up. Prices are down, particularly at gas pumps and in grocery stores. This is happening as energy production is just ramping up and as Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill wends its way through Congress. Passage is anticipated by Independence Day, July 4. The C.R. contains a broad range of tax cuts that were scheduled to lapse but will be made permanent and newer tax cuts – elimination of tip taxes and taxes on Social Security payments. The measure includes other economic incentives, too.

Trump’s numbers are rising as the public learns more about the impact of his tariffs. Nations are negotiating to settle difference. Britain has just made a deal. Various enterprises in Asia and elsewhere pledge to site manufacturing facilities in the U.S. or increase investments here. Trump just announced $600 billion in investments from Saudi Arabia in U.S. concerns.

Trump also continues to work diligently to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. He’s seeking a negotiated end to Iran’s nuclear weapons program development. Unlike neocons, Americans want peaceful settlements of differences, not war.

Finally, in less than four months, Trump has effectively closed the U.S.-Mexican border, proving that Biden’s handlers lied all along about grappling with ways to end the tide of illegals into the country. In fact, everything that Biden’s White House did was to encourage millions of migrants to enter the country. It was a cynical ploy to build Democrat consistencies and voter bases.

Not that there aren’t challenges ahead for the president. The U.S. Supreme Court needs to shutdown lower federal courts from interfering with the chief executive’s right to deport illegals, particularly those deemed dangerous.

But, all in all, mid and longer term, the positives outweigh the negatives for Trump’s presidency. With critical midterm elections slated for November 2026, Democrats can’t be very happy about that development.

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